Re: How NOT to pick HSC Subjects

Originally Posted by Schoey93

Do not choose mathematics is you do not like it. Do NOT choose General Mathematics "just for the sake of having some maths". Let me say that NO UNI COURSE requires that course (General Math) as a prerequisiste, and it is AWFUL preparation for any mathematical/scientific course.

Actually, you're wrong. If you want to do primary school teaching, then it's a pre-req that you have "any two units of mathematics". This includes general maths. You can do the degree without any maths at all, but the powers that be won't register you as a teacher at the end of it if you don't have 2 units of maths for your HSC, which means that you've spent 4 years at uni, and racked up a HECS debt of nearly $17,000, and you can't actually get a job at the end of it.
I switched to general maths after half yearlies in year 11, got an HSC mark in the high 80s. I can look at a maths textbook without wanting to curl up in a little ball, which is more than a lot of the people who kept going with mathematics, and barely scraped a 50 as their final mark can say. Who would you rather have teaching your kids the basics of maths - the person who's confident with what they're doing, or the person who won't stray from what's already written in the textbook, because they don't really have any idea what they're talking about?

Also, if you're not sure what you want to do at uni, then having done general maths is better than having done no maths. It's still not going to help you much in a maths degree or most science degrees, but if you decide that you want to do economics or something like that, then general maths could save you from having to do a bridging course.
Having two units of maths for your HSC is never going to look bad, even if you never actually end up using it for anything.

Re: How NOT to pick HSC Subjects

Originally Posted by Cerry

Actually, you're wrong. If you want to do primary school teaching, then it's a pre-req that you have "any two units of mathematics". This includes general maths. You can do the degree without any maths at all, but the powers that be won't register you as a teacher at the end of it if you don't have 2 units of maths for your HSC, which means that you've spent 4 years at uni, and racked up a HECS debt of nearly $17,000, and you can't actually get a job at the end of it.
I switched to general maths after half yearlies in year 11, got an HSC mark in the high 80s. I can look at a maths textbook without wanting to curl up in a little ball, which is more than a lot of the people who kept going with mathematics, and barely scraped a 50 as their final mark can say. Who would you rather have teaching your kids the basics of maths - the person who's confident with what they're doing, or the person who won't stray from what's already written in the textbook, because they don't really have any idea what they're talking about?

Also, if you're not sure what you want to do at uni, then having done general maths is better than having done no maths. It's still not going to help you much in a maths degree or most science degrees, but if you decide that you want to do economics or something like that, then general maths could save you from having to do a bridging course.
Having two units of maths for your HSC is never going to look bad, even if you never actually end up using it for anything.

Re: How NOT to pick HSC Subjects

Originally Posted by lyounamu

Hm...interesting. I never knew that.

Lots of people don't. It's just not relevent to them, so they have no reason to know it. Doesn't bother me at all until people start getting all high and mighty about how useless general maths is, and how there's absolutely no reason you should ever do it. Remove head from ass BEFORE speaking, people.

would it have been better to choose English Extension 1 over PDHPE? Earth and Environmental over PDHPE?

i am currently interested in (generally) the sciences, but more specifically in a Bachelor of Medicine- is this achievable with this pattern?

can someone please help clear my doubts?
Thanks

btw - also can someone please tell me if i can do some sort of course or something for Italian? i didn't pick it before, and there is no possibility for me to do it now, since only continuers is being offered... regrets... but in the future maybe there is something (im not quite sure...)

Re: Guide to selecting your HSC Courses

Originally Posted by klaris

Next year I'm think of doing
- Advanced English
- English Extension 1 or 2 coz I have no idea wt the difference is (please explain)
- Italian
- Ancient History
- Modern History
- Family and Community Studies

Year 11: There's only one English Extension and its counted as 1 unit.

Year 12: There's English Extension 1 & 2, both counted as 1 unit each. English Extension 1 is a requisite for Extension 2. I'm not really sure of the content of the extension courses as i don't do them, sorry.

Re: Guide to selecting your HSC Courses

There's probably already a post that answers my question but....
what the heck is scaling?
i just came across that term when i stumbled upon this site beginning of this year
regardless of people saying dont choose subjects just because they scale well.....may i know what are the subjects that do scale well for the hsc? and how does it work?

i feel so noob about hsc and stuff.....so noob to the whole nsw education system....i started yr 7 here.....still finding some of the things about the examing system a bit weird

Re: Guide to selecting your HSC Courses

I am considering doing:

Physics
Advanced English
Perhaps English Extension 1 (not sure of the difference)
Advanced Math
Perhaps Maths Extension 1 (its assumed knowledge for engineering at UNSW, I get around 75% marks and I'm not sure if I could do it)
Software Design and Development

Re: Guide to selecting your HSC Courses

Originally Posted by AssesmentTask

I am considering doing:

Physics
Advanced English
Perhaps English Extension 1 (not sure of the difference)
Advanced Math
Perhaps Maths Extension 1 (its assumed knowledge for engineering at UNSW, I get around 75% marks and I'm not sure if I could do it)
Software Design and Development

English Extension 1 is basically an english course that introduces some more topics related to english, such as literature or philosophy. It is not an alternative to English advanced, just an extension. It is worth 1 unit.

Perhaps you should just give Maths extension 1 a go, and if you dont like it or arent doing to well, then just drop it. Although, having a better understanding of mathematics would definetly would help with computer science.

Re: Prelim Subject Selection Guide

Firstly, any combination can receive a 'high' UAI (now known as ATAR).

Secondly, yes, if you do Extension 1 English in year 11, you're entitled to do Extension 2 English in year 12. The same applies to Maths. Also if you do Modern/Ancient History in year 11, you can to do Extension History in year 12.

Doctor: I'm afraid your son has the knack.Dilmom: The knack?Doctor: The knack. It's a rare condition characterized by an extreme intuition about all things mechanical and electrical and other social ineptitude.Dilmom: (worried) Can he lead a normal life?Doctor: No. He'll be an engineer.Dilmom: (crying) Oh No!

Re: Prelim Subject Selection Guide

i see...
another question, if i did EXT2 for both maths and english, that would mean i would have 14 units, which is way too much workload, and i would have to make some alterations in my subjects - as i want only 12 units.
what sort of alteration would be most effective (e.g. drop physics; leave english as ext1 and drop religion to 1 unit; drop chemistry; or just go to a non-religious school for senior high etc. etc.)?

Re: Guide to selecting your HSC Courses

Great info :]
I've already posted this elsewhere, but there are probably more people in this thread who are in year 11/12 / finished high school.
Is there anyone who did/is doing CAFS and/or Society & Culture, which one do / did you find more interesting in terms of information, topics and assessments, or more interesting in general?